Getting Almost There
by ai12love
Summary: The chemistry was always there but she was a good girl, or so she thought. When the celebration of a mutual friend's new business endeavor leads them to be stuck together without any distractions will the spark be just as strong?
1. Prologue

Sakura Haruno could not believe that her next-door neighbor for years, her knuckleheaded idiot brother, her best friend in the entire world would do this. Yet, here she was almost too terrified to step out of her condo to start on this day trip to see the said idiot. "Well, I might as well get this over with. It's not like Naruto actually knows about my past with his best man."

If Sakura knew that if this was the friend that Naruto wanted to pick her up she would have never agreed on the four-hour journey to the Land of Tea with him. She did want to support him and his wife. They were doing a grand reopening of the Resort they were given on their wedding day. Sometimes Sakura just couldn't understand the kinda money the Hyuuga's had She supposed her ride would understand better as he similarly grew up in the world of class and sophistication and excess. Moving to grab her suitcase and walk out she got a good look at Naruto's best man and Sakura's biggest mistake at his wedding, Sabaku No Gaara.

He looked good, too good. The kind of man that whether he was in workout gear, a three-piece suit or the jeans and a t-shirt he currently wore he looked like the clothes were made for him and him alone. Nationally ranked MMA fighter in high school and college, tech multi-millionaire of his own fortune and grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth he had made Forbes' 30 under 30 the past three years in a row. There weren't many people in this world that could make Sakura Haruno, research scientist, incredible trauma surgeon, and published marvel, insecure. But the redhead smoking a cigarette in front of an Aston Martin that probably cost more than her condo did with ease. Seeing her approach and stamping out the cigarette the man that she would be spending the next several days with approached her slowly.

"Naruto didn't tell me it was you I was picking up. Here I thought I'd have to play Prince Charming to some... random bimbo." He paused as he looked her up and down, before moving to grab her luggage and place it in the deep red convertible he was driving.

Not realizing Sakura had been holding in her breath for some time until she released it the moment he turned his back, she took a few more breaths in preparation for spending quite a bit of time with a man she has been avoiding for the past year.

"I'm surprised you didn't fly there." She murmured and he turned his head before snorting and opening up the door for her.

"I don't like flying commercial and Temari needs the jet for her fashion show this weekend. I like not being a complete prick to my big sister." He smirked before shutting the door and giving Sakura a moment to marvel at the luxury of the car he owned.

"What no helicopter?" She joked under her breath before holding it as Gaara moved over her and reached to grab something. He still smelled like fresh electronics and cinnamon and cigarettes and she hated how hypnotic of a scent it was to her. Pulling back the man grinned and produced a pair of sunglasses before whispering in her ear.

"Naruto hasn't yet re-zoned the helicopter pad yet, I asked." Before slipping on the sunglasses and starting them on their journey.

Sakura was silent for the first hour or so of their ride, glancing every so often at the redhead next to her. She remembered exactly what she felt the first time they locked eyes. It was at the initial rehearsal dinner and he was the last to arrive. No one knew what this mysterious best man looked like but Naruto was adamant that his best friend in the entire world from business school could be the only person he wanted to be the role and we would all love him.

_Sakura was sitting beside Hinata and Ino, gushing over the fact that one of them was finally getting married when he walked into the private room of Choji's restaurant. Ino was the first to recognize him and the man was she starstruck. _

_"That is Sabaku no Gaara. How on earth did Naruto become best friends with Suna's most eligible bachelor of the year?" Sakura couldn't help but giggle. As she was the maid of honor (Hanabi was slightly too young as Hinata's little sister) Sakura went to introduce herself to her partner for most of the wedding festivities. _

_"Sakura-Chan! You have to meet Gaara. This is my best man and he saved my ass a few times in business school." Naruto grinned and Sakura turned to look at the redhead in question. She had vaguely heard of the Sabuko family, mostly from Shikamaru and his wild affair with the fashion designer Temari, but the younger was the marvel. _

_He was just under Naruto's height but had the presence of being head over shoulders taller. He had eyes the color of jade and a smile that seemed new on him like he was trying it out for show and wasn't sure if he would take it home or not. His hand reached out to shake hers and the low timbre of his voice rattled Sakura._

_"You're the maid of honor right? Naruto has not shut up about you. I guess you're my partner for this thing."_

_"Y-yeah." She chuckled, hating herself for the stutter and quickly moved to shake his hand. She hadn't been this flustered since high school and here she was near blushing at a man for smiling at her and shaking her hand._

_"Well, you two are gonna be great pals. I'm gonna go check on Hinata and get this thing going kay?" Naruto grinned and moved along, leaving Sakura to show Gaara his seat across from her at the table._

_"So," She asked at the venue, they were waiting for their part in the ceremony to begin and Sakura thought she might as well get to know the man she was walking down the aisle with… figuratively speaking that was. "How did you and Naruto meet?"_

_Turning towards her Gaara smirked and this half-smile felt quite warn in, it suited him better. "I kicked his ass in a speech and debate class and he kicked my ass in the gym. We've had one another's backs after that and he became like a brother to me in business school."_

_Nodding Sakura looked up at the two to be married and added. "Well he was so excited everyone gets to meet you. It's not like you get to visit too often living in Suna right?" _

_Turning towards Sakura before taking another glance at the groom he replied. "I suppose I could visit more if given a good reason."_

Stopping at a traffic light Sakura supposed the silence had gone long enough and she couldn't take it anymore. As she was far too terrified to touch the radio of his car she blurted out a question.

"So, what errand did you need to run for Naruto that was close to my place?" She quipped knowing that Naruto was a good enough bridge for them to talk about to start with; lest she loses her mind in the silence.

"Naruto needed a couple of high tech systems to help his POS system run on the multitude of international clients the resort sees. Making it easy for the employees to use multiple types of credit cards and translate itemized receipts was a pretty simple program to run. I just made it an offline system and there are a couple of monitors in the back so I could just give it to him to install before opening day next week. I have a pretty good supplier in the area and picked them up before I got you."

Sometimes she forgot how smart Gaara was. How he could light up a room the moment he gathered their attention or how he could seemingly make things just appear from him. He could solve any problem at the drop of a hat and never seemed to make a big deal of it.

_Sakura was freaking out. She was single-handedly going to ruin the wedding of her best friend in the entire world. Ino dealt with the flowers. Choji had catering down to a science. Hinata's family dealt with the venue. All Sakura had to do was handle the music and her duo for the ceremony completely bailed. She had 72 hours to find another musician or Hinata was walking down the aisle in silence._

_Sighing Sakura placed her head in her hands in her hair and let out a long slow groan._

_"Last I checked wasn't it the bride was supposed to be the one to freak out about a wedding?"_

_Looking up she saw Gaara. He was in a tank top and running shorts and yet she couldn't be bothered to think him out of place in the hotel's business center. _

_"Well, when one of your biggest roles in the wedding, really your only role in the wedding falls through you're bound to get a bit stressed." She sighed._

_Sitting down beside her silently while he answered a few emails on his phone he asked, "So, what fell through?" _

_Looking at him she bit her lip before responding. "I was supposed to get music for the wedding and reception and I found this great band for the reception. That's settled and I thought I found this beautiful Guitar and Violin duo for the ceremony but they canceled last minute and I don't know where I'm going to find someone and this has to be perfect because it's Hinata and Naruto and Hinata has been pining after Naruto since we were in grade school and if anyone deserves a fairytale wedding it's her and I don't know what I can do to fix…" She went to continue but Gaara stopped her with a silent hand before asking._

_"So you need an appropriate soloist or duo that can play at the wedding ceremony right?"_

_Sakura nodded and went to explain her worries before looking at Gaara dial a number and pick up the phone._

_"Cousin, Sasori you still dating that stupid artist guy? He still good friends with that harp player what's his face Haku. Yeah, the one who just finished up that European tour. Get me his contact info for a job on Saturday. Wedding. I need it guaranteed but put that lovely family money stamp on it kay? See you for dad's obligatory family get together next month." _

_Sakura paused and attempted to close her mouth from the awe that she just experienced. "Y-you didn't have to do that. You barely know me why would you help me like that?"_

_"I haven't helped you yet. But if you haven't gotten a text from me with his contact info in two hours then my cousin won't be getting his spot in the gallery I own this year either." He chuckled and moved to answer another set of emails._

_"I don't know how I can repay you Gaara, this is so sweet."_

_Turning towards her Gaara simply smirked and lifted her chin. She could feel the heat of his breath against her cheek and she hoped she wasn't blushing as noticeably as she felt she was. "Continue keeping this wedding exciting for me and Naruto happy. He deserves this day to be perfect too and it's the least I can do to make sure it stays that way."_

Sakura paused as they pulled into a little cafe just passed the highway. Stepping outside it Sakura followed him as he ordered his order and then silently turned to her for her to an add-in. Paying for the both of them before Sakura even had a chance the two of them moved to a spot outside of the cafe and Gaara pulled out another cigarette.

"I have to say this once just as a doctor, you know how bad those things are for you." She murmured knowing he probably didn't want the scolding but unable to hold back any longer.

"Running as many companies as I do at my age will kill me a lot faster. I think a couple of cigarettes a day are hardly comparable to the stress that puts on my body." Rolling her eyes at that she conceded to her one statement and went to sip her coffee. She, while not one for too many sweets was a true lover of whipped cream and relishing in the delicious taste that accompanied her latte.

"How is the whole doctor thing going?" He mentioned after a while, startling her and shocking her that he remembered.

"Um, it's great. I just finished up my residency so everything feels finally permanent; like I'm finally out of school. How is everything your way?"

Putting out his cigarette he paused before answering, taking a long look at her first and Sakura inwardly cursed herself for the delicious shudder that went down her spine.

"Of the Sand Corp is doing decently. Enough that my father is pressing me to sell it under the Kazekage Industries umbrella; not like I would. It seems he is punishing me for doing so by giving me more responsibilities to run under the family business not that Kankuro isn't an epic VP of my company anyway."

"Well at least visiting Naruto will give you a bit of a vacation. When do you have to go back to Suna?"

Taking a moment take a long gulp of his coffee, and give Sakura time to ogle the bicep that was holding it he responded, "I moved to Konoha a couple of weeks ago. Kazekage Industries is expanding and dad wanted me to take over the branch here. Hence making it difficult to fully run my tech business based in Suna."

"Oh, that is tricky, but at least when Naruto comes back or visits he'll be able to see you as well. Have you been adjusting ok considering?" She asked taking another long sip of her coffee, not noticing the spec of cream that remained on her upper lip. Sakura wondered how he managed to do it all and how much stress she would be under if put in half of that situation

"The takeover was a bitch and I can't find a good assistant to save my life plus I don't know anyone in this town besides well, you and I just found that out." Taking a moment to lean in close to her Sakura froze.

_Was he going to kiss me? This is just like the wedding I'm freezing. He looks so good but we haven't spoken in nearly a year! Oh, kami, please._ Sakura thought before noticing him remove the offending cream and take it between his lips.

"Think you would oppose to showing me a few places where I can lesson my will to murder? A good gym and a good bar would be only for the greater good at this point." He teased and she frowned as he seemingly looked like he was enjoying this torture he was putting on her body.

"Yeah, I do. Perks of growing up around here and going to undergrad here." Taking their collective silence Gaara moved to give her one of his smirks and asked.

"I might actually have to take you on a date then cherry blossom. Think you could handle me this time?" Sakura blushed and turned to look out at the scenery before them. The land of fire was changing into the more tropical more scenic land of Tea, though as Naruto's resort was on the coast it would still take another hour or so to get there.

Taking the pause neither as a good or bad thing, Gaara finished up his coffee and stood up to stretch before glancing down at her. "Come on, if we're late Naruto will assume I'm dead and blow up my phone to the point of me throwing it out the car, and between you and me I really can't lose another phone this quarter."

Giggling Sakura stood up and followed him to the car for the last leg of their journey. "Alright but just keep to driving safely. Late or not if I'm dead I can't patch you up after a car crash."

"I'll keep you alive but no promises on 100% safety Sakura." He chuckled twirling his keys in his hands. "I gotta live a little reckless or I'll go insane." He paused before fully getting in the driver's side, "Well more than I already am."

_Sakura was attached to her phone at their bachelorette party spa night. The timid Hinata not one of clubbing or strippers so Sakura and Hanabi planned an elegant pamper night for all of the bridesmaids. _

_"Forehead, this is a girls night. Stop texting your prince charming of a boyfriend and come join us." Ino chastised before moving to see what she was looking at._

_"Oh my God girls she is texting Gaara." Stealing Sakura's phone to bring it to the girls Ino giggled much to Sakura's chagrin. _

_"Let me see here, ooh, pamper night going well. Promise me you'll send pics of Naruto if he does anything stupid?"_

_Sakura tried and failed to grab it, only to have it thrown to Ten-Ten, who continued reading._

_"What's in it for me? And he added a winky face!"_

_"Guys, come on." Sakura groaned moving to grab it only to have the phone thrown to Hanabi._

_"That's not very Best Man behavior of you." Hanabi paused before cracking up. "Oh my god Sakura is full-on flirting and I think Gaara is flirting back. He just responded._

_"What did he say?" Ino grinned moving to hold Sakura down with Ten-Ten at the assist. _

_"He said, I may be the best man but that doesn't make me good. I think we should respond." Hanabi chuckled and mortified Sakura tried to escape._

_"Hanabi, don't," Sakura begged._

_"Kid you got this, we'll give you the honors." Ten-Ten chuckled and Sakura wiggled stronger before moving out of their grasp._

_"And, send." Hanabi chuckled giving Sakura her phone back and watching her pale in complexion, then only more so when the girls heard the ping of a response._

_"So," The bride-to-be finally spoke up. "What did he say?"_

_Nearly too shocked to respond, Ino looked over her shoulder and squealed before announcing._

_"So our lovely Hanabi moved us with her elegant words of asking the very tasteful So what are you good at? And it looks like our little cherry blossom might have caught herself a billionaire."_

_"Why?" Ten-Ten asked before Sakura took back her phone and shut it off._

_"Because," Ino continued. "He told forehead that he could schedule some time to show her later if she liked."_

Sakura shook her head from her blush and tried to calm herself from her memories of Gaara at the wedding. They were nearly inseparable then. He was always so smart, and so good with his words.

"Are you too warm Cherry Blossom?" Gaara added moving to turn up the air and finally turn on the radio, shifting the dial till some form of music could be heard.

"Maybe a bit, though I'm not exactly uncomfortable." She whispered out looking at the road flying past them as Gaara sped them along the highway.

"So I still make you squirm is all. I know how to fix that." He chuckled and Sakura involuntarily shuddered before responding.

"The wedding was a mistake. I don't normally do things like that and I shouldn't have gone as far with you that night."

"Oh calm down cupcake I kept my pants on. You leading me on and then ghosting after just a kiss when you were acting like you wanted a _lot _more than that should make me a little antsy to be near you again not the other way around." He scoffed moving to turn on their exit and get to the last leg of their journey.

_It was the reception. The ceremony was lovely Gaara's call had come through and it turns out Haku was someone Naruto had met a long time ago and had changed his life. The blonde idiot fully burst into tears at the sight of the delicate man softly singing as his bride came down the aisle. The pictures had all been taken the speeches given and now it was simply time for the party that they all knew Naruto could throw. Sakura was taking a well-deserved spot of air when she saw her best man on the balcony having a cigarette._

_"You gave a wonderful speech. I think a couple of people cried, Iruka-sensei I know did." She chuckled and he turned and smirked when he noticed it was her. Offering her a cigarette that she politely declined, he took a step to close the distance between them._

_"I'm glad you enjoyed it Sakura, I've always had a knack for a good speech. Yours was pretty cute as well. I can tell Hinata really enjoyed it."_

_Blushing slightly Sakura swirled the bit of champagne she had in her glass before asking, "How long are you in town for?"_

_"Couple days, then I have to head back." Pausing when he saw her mood utterly deflate he moved to hold her chin. "But I can always make the most of my trip now." He grinned and pulled her in for a breath-stealing kiss._

_It made her weak at the knees. She felt dizzy. She felt like everything she had ever desired was in that kiss and so much more could be had, and it terrified Sakura. Pulling back she looked at him and quickly uttered out a soft. "I have to go." Before disappearing from the venue._

It took a long time for Sakura to realize why she bolted when all her body was screaming at her to do was screw Gaara in his hotel room till the sun came up. He terrified her. Gaara had this type of undeniable power to him. He wasn't overly tall. He was fit but no monster. He was beautiful but not in a way that was common and yet anytime Gaara spoke the entire room always gave him 100% of their attention. He was in control at all times and that was not something Sakura had any idea how to deal with. She was Sakura Haruno. She was a woman who always called the shots and she certainly was not one who knew how to deal with an alpha like Gaara; especially for a one night stand.

Not to mention that she had just had a rather ugly breakup with Sasuke Uchiha and was learning to be on her own; something that would have been ruined if it just looked like she fell into the closest thing available. So nothing about their current predicament made it seem like they should start a relationship and rather than deal with Gaara's temptation of simply being there nor the teasing of her friends Sakura bolted and went back to the safety of her condo and her job.

She honestly thought she had gotten over her handsome wedding partner but the time apart clearly didn't change the way her eyes still longed to undress him or the way she would follow the curve of his lips when he talked. How she could picture those hands of his wrapped around her body and how even going back to her deepest of crushes should she ever remember being remotely attracted to anyone else?

"We're gonna be there soon." Gaara murmured pulling her out of her thoughts and she took one last look at the curve of his jawline and how it tensed slightly as he turned before she moved to look at them entering the gates of the property.

Gaara parked briefly and before Sakura could react he had gotten out and moved to open the door for her. "One best friend of Naruto's arrived safe and sound. Now I just need to collect my fee." He smirked and Sakura scoffed and looked up at him.

"And what fee would that be?"

"I'll take it in installments throughout the weekend but I will go ahead and get my first payment before we spy the knucklehead." He teased and pulled her up close to him. She could feel his chest pressed against hers. Smell that amazing cinnamon scent that only he had. Their lips were barely separated, their breath intertwined in a way that begged them to kiss.

She was shocked, she was aroused and she had just closed her eyes to let them have their second kiss when seemingly as soon as it started it was over and he pulled her away.

"What was that?" She asked slightly out of breath and angry at the overflow of emotions that were racing through her body.

"Evidence that you still want me so bad you can barely stand it." Pulling her close to whisper in her ear and she did let out a soft moan as he whispered out.

"Our mutual friend has so kindly scheduled us some time together. I think this is the perfect opportunity for me to show you something I'm rather good at." He grinned and pulled away grabbing both of their bags as they walked towards the entrance to the resort.

_I really should have stayed at home._ Sakura thought to herself as she walked behind Gaara and saw the genuine smile on his face as he greeted Naruto and she finally saw her best friend of over 20 years.

_But it had been a while since I've had a vacation. _Her mind rebutted. _Maybe he is just an added part of the relaxation?_

"Come on Sakura, Naruto says our rooms are right next to each other isn't that convenient?" He added and resumed carrying both of their luggage.

_Or maybe this weekend will be the most tiring vacation I have ever had._

_AN: Let me know what you think. This was originally posted for a gaasaku fest and I liked the premise._


	2. Chapter 1

The Sly Fox resort was a beautiful resort, to begin with. It was part of a long-ago gotten plot of land the Hyuuga's obtained from a dowery. Hinata's family wasn't just old money it was ancient money and it was a surprise to everyone that she was even able to marry Naruto was a shock to everyone who knew her family.

However, Sakura knew that Hinata had been in love with Naruto since their freshman year of high school. The fact that he saved her life in their sophomore year of college was the icing on the cake to make Naruto even a possible choice for their eldest daughter. Naruto always wanted to be something big, like his hero cop parents may they rest in peace, but as Sakura looked around at the updated decor and the peaceful zen nature of the lobby she truly felt that this was a good start to it.

"So Sakura-chan how was the drive over there? Gaara's a great driver right? He never lets me drive when we hang out so I knew you'd be in pretty great hands." He grinned, running a set of fingers through blonde hair; cropped short for summer.

"The driving was fine Naruto, but I know who Gaara is, why didn't you just tell me it was him that was picking me up?" Sakura questioned and internalized an added statement _so I could've refused. _

"I wanted it to be a surprise, of course, Sakura-chan! You two haven't seen each other since the wedding and you two hit it off so well. I wanted you to get together and catch up. You're the first ones here so you'll get the best rooms. Hinata designed your room Sakura-chan and I designed Gaara's." He grinned and walked them into a golf cart and drove them to the set of private villas the resort had for their most esteemed guests, or friends who decided to support the happy couple.

"So you'll each get your own bedroom and your own bathroom, Sakura has the master but honestly both bedrooms are huge. Everyone else is coupled up that's coming so I put them in the love suite villas. You get the nine tails suite though. It even comes with a butler." Naruto rambled on and Sakura could see he had truly turned the place into his home away from home. Naruto made friends wherever he went so Sakura was sure that he was a great boss to his employees.

"I'm sure it will be satisfactory Naruto. I'm just happy to be here and to see you are happy in your first business endeavor as CEO." Gaara chuckled and Sakura let out an internal sigh.

Something about Naruto always seemed to soften Gaara. She never got the full story of what happened but it clearly made an impact on both of them to Naruto pick Gaara not Sasuke as best man, though the two had been drifting apart slowly since their big blow-up senior year of high school.

Looking at the courtyard of services Sakura could clearly see Hinata's personal touches with Naruto's combined vision in the resort. It was all made to look like a set of Japanese tea houses. The pool designed to look like a giant teacup, the chairs little spoons. There where little boutiques that people entered like going into tea shops and from Sakura's chats with Hinata she knew there was a clothing boutique, a hair salon, a full-service day spa, a water sports rental place with lessons, and a place to schedule lessons or to have a tea ceremony. They passed two restaurants in the lobby and there was another beachfront eatery.

Their own villas would be by the beach and Sakura already felt a sense of relaxation pulling up to the soft whites and soothing greens that made up the decor theme.

"So Ino and Sai will be here soon and you know how um, well demanding they can be. Ima go make sure if they complain it's to me and not to a member of staff. Ring my cell if you need anything and relax man! Dinner's at seven at the Enchanted Restaurant. I'm so stoked to see you both." He grinned, hugging them both as Gaara set their bags down in the living room, before rushing off to meet two more of their friends.

"Wow. This is beautiful. I can't believe Naruto has been renovating all of this for the past year."

"It's nice work but this is Hinata's handiwork. I'm curious to see what Naruto's design vision looks like." He questioned, raising a hand in an offer to check out his room.

"Well, only because I want to see if his interior design choices are as... interesting as his wardrobe selections are." She giggled.

"You have no idea how hard it was for me to get him to start wearing black pants or a leather jacket to tone down the orange." Gaara groaned remembering him chastising him for possibly screwing up their professionalism points on group assignments.

"Wait you're the reason he stopped dressing like children's cereal box?" Sakura gasped shocked as she perused the nice reading area at the breakfast nook and the rather delicious looking kitchen; too bad she was a notoriously atrocious cook.

"After some long nights and a lot of forceful trips to my sister. She yelled me into dressing better so if it was possible with me then it was with anyone."

"Wait you weren't the impeccable dresser people know you as today?" Sakura said half in awe and half teasing.

"No I'm joking, I knew at 14 I could pull off maroon suits and leather jackets with button-downs that have little cacti on them." He rolled his eyes recalling the iconic now-viral image of Gaara getting off a motorcycle in said cacti shirt and pastel pink pants. The media said he was bringing the idea of masculinity to new heights.

"So I have to ask why did you dress up so much? Were you seeing a hot date?" Sakura wiggled her eyebrows and stopped to take a blind left into a bedroom that by its subtle blue tones could only be her room, made by Hinata.

"The shirt was given to me by Lee for my birthday that year and I liked it. I was having tea with Temari. She had just dropped her spring collection and sent me over all the mens' items. I know she would be cross if I didn't wear anything from it but those pants were the closest thing to something I would put on my body." He mused and Sakura knew from many irritating phone calls from their mutual friend and now fiancé of Temari Shikamaru that a cross Temari was a violent Temari.

Turning right and back into the living room they went in the other direction and paused as if anticipating something jumping out at them just from Naruto's decorating choices.

"Oh, my, God." Sakura gaped.

"It's appropriate." Gaara mused and placed his suitcase on the table in the corner of the room.

There were still huge amounts of orange, from the pots to the chairs to the lamps, but it was accented with white like the white floral pattern on the orange bedspread, or the red and orange birds of paradise flowers and all the furniture was a soft natural wood that mellowed their friend's love of the loud color.

"It suits you." Sakura chuckled and turned to look at the beautiful view of the ocean they had from the room. Sakura could feel hands on her hips and stiffened slightly before the feeling of lips on her neck made her gasp.

"What are you doing?" Sakura asked softly, trying to hold down the tremor in her voice.

"You look ravishing in the evening sun Sakura. I just wanted a little taste." Gaara teased before moving to let her go. "I'm going to take a shower, feel free to join me." He remarked before moving off towards the connected bathroom and Sakura quickly went to her room to scream into pillow exactly how she would do a teenager.

She didn't get much chance to however as the phone in her room rang.

"Hello?" She answered unsure of who would be calling their room.

"Forehead! Oh my god, can you believe the glam of this place?"

Sakura let the phone rest a bit further back from her ear as her other blond friend screamed into the set.

"It is really nice Ino. Shikamaru would love this place too bad he can't come."

"Too bad?! Sakura he's going to a fashion show with his fiancé the Temari. She makes enough money for them to actually afford one of these villas. He didn't make detective by being stupid forehead."

"Ok pig relax. How are you and Sai doing? Did you settle in ok?" She sighed and set the phone on the pillow next to her, content to relax for a few hours till dinner.

"Oh, we're fine. Sai is really happy he brought his oil pens for this trip. I've already asked Hinata to set me up with a spa appointment, wanna come with or will you be too busy." She said with mirth in her voice and Sakura furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Busy? What do you mean I can't exactly take my work with me."

"Naruto told me who you're rooming with. If I had an old flame like that sleeping right next door I'd be really busy all weekend long." She giggled and Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Ino it's not like that."

"Then make it like that forehead. He's hot, smart, rich, and we have the same friends where is the problem with that?" She interrupted and before Sakura could express herself Ino just had to add.

"Wait you're not still hung up on Sasuke right? After he left you again and left you with a condo by yourself. CIA or no CIA he emotionally abused you for years and was a terrible person to you."

"Ino it's not about Sasuke. I like my condo with or without him and besides, we are through, permanently." She sighed and still felt like being stabbed to say that.

"Good, now go tap that slice of Suna meat and do your vacation right. Also if you don't dress cute for dinner I'll hurt you. Wait never mind I'll just come over to dress you. I always pack extra things anyway. Shika got me some of Temari's fall collection so you're definitely going to love it."

"Ino you really don't have to."

"I know and that's why I'm such a good friend. See you at like 6:30 forehead. Try to finish up whatever amazing sex you're having with Gaara by then kay bye."

"In-o" Sakura sighed knowing she had just been successfully steamrolled again by one of her oldest friends. Ino meant well but when she had a plan in mind she tended to let nothing and no one get in her way.

Stepping out into the living room to make herself a cup of tea she saw that Gaara had beat her to it. Lounging in just a pair of lounge pants and a towel around his neck he was furiously typing on his phone.

"Was that anything I needed to know." He murmured glancing up at her before returning to the typing.

"N-no. Ino's coming over to dress me. Ensure I dress up for dinner." She groaned and praised the sound of the kettle whirring to life. Seeing Gaara grab some Jasmine tea bags he raised a silent hand with one in it as a question of if she would want one. Nodding yes and coming closer to claim her cup Sakura moved to ask,

"Did you have a nice shower."

"Yeah, it was fine. I just got my rain shower installed at my place so it's not exactly the same but the water was hot and the pressure was good."

"Oh yeah, you just moved. Where about in Konoha?"

"Downtown, financial district, near the park." He murmured and Sakura nodded. That area was full of two things rich businessmen and rich socialites. So different from the quiet residential area that Sakura chose. Well, she originally chose it because she thought she was starting a family with… she shook her head and moved to simply sip the tea she was given and take a moment to relax.

She did need this. Work had been stressful and while… distracting, Gaara was not a bad person to travel with. He was quiet but not mute, he was clean and thoughtful. If only she could rationalize that she was ready for someone else again not just go back to Sasuke for the fifth time. For now, Gaara was too much but only in one aspect. She could appreciate good speciesism of the human form, especially if presented so nicely and leave it at that. This place had nice scenery.

Pausing from her musing she noticed a curious frown on Gaara's face.

"What's wrong?"

Pausing to collect his thoughts Gaara hesitated before asking. "Rock Lee just texted me saying that he had never been so betrayed. This weekend will be a true test of our friendship. What is he talking about?" He asked looking genuinely a bit hurt.

Naruto had said that Gaara didn't have many friends growing up and that he cherished the ones he did have dearly. It was sweet to see the normally stoic man so concerned.

"Oh, Lee's had a crush on me for as long as I can remember. He probably found out that we're rooming together and is doing some weird declaration of love. I'll probably get the in-person tale of woes tonight."

"Lee is coming. I thought Naruto said that everyone else coming would be coupled up?"

"Choji and Kiba always like to room together. Foodie bros and all that. Naruto was probably matchmaking. Shino's been into Lee forever so that's my bet." Sakura shrugged and then realized how odd it was that she had normalized Naruto's matchmaking habit.

"I didn't know Lee was bi." Gaara mused looking at his phone still a little down.

"Lee's into anything that'll spark his power of youth. Thank god he teaches kids with all of that energy." She laughed before getting a good look at Gaara.

"Hey, he'll be ok. We'll explain everything and you can have your sparring buddy back. Plus Lee gets very everything super fast."

"What if I want to make his story right and then try to explain myself," Gaara smirked moving closer to Sakura and she nearly dropped her teacup on the spot.

"G-Gaara."

"Tell me right now you don't want me. Say it and I will stop it all now. But you have to tell me you don't want this. I need to know." He looked at her, completely serious.

It was so odd to see someone as strong and alpha as Gaara care so much about her consent. Sasuke was never so considerate. She knew she couldn't say she didn't desire him. But right now it was all too much.

"I'm tired, and I want to take a shower. I feel stiff still from the long car ride." She answered truthfully though a part of her felt like Gaara could make her forget all of her worries instantly.

"Alright," Gaara smirked and kissed her forehead. "Go freshen up and rest. I'll see you for dinner. I can get some work done anyway." He moved away from her and grabbed his laptop bag out to the porch without another word.

"Wow." Sakura was stunned. That kind of confidence was so easy and relaxing to hear. Moving to actually take that shower she suggested she wondered if any boyfriend she'd had truly listened to her the first time she expressed being tired.


End file.
